Bag with attached handle



April 1955 c. E. SCHULTE BAG WITH ATTACHED HANDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 16 4464 Filed May 27, 1952 April 1955 c. E. SCHULTE 2,705,987

BAG WITH ATTACHED HANDLE Filed May 27, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent BAG WITH ATTACHED HANDLE Charles E. Schulte, Chicago, Ill.Application May 27, 1952, Serial No. 290,186

8 Claims. (Cl. 150-12) This invention relates to containers of the typewhich are used in transporting or carrying packages and the like, andmore particularly the present invention relates to improvements inshopping bags. Specifically the improvements are concerned withproviding attached carrying handles for such shopping bags.

Heretofore shopping bags have ordinarily been provided with cord orfabric handles comprising a pair of loops attached to opposite sides ofthe top of the bag. Customarily the carrier grasped both of the loops inthe hand and thereby supported the weight of the bag and its contents.Obviously the disadvantages of such construction are readily apparent inview of the fact that the hands of the carrier were often cut andbruised by the localization of the force vectors of the weight supportedin the palm of the hand.

Additional disadvantages resulted from the tendency of the handles toseparate one from the other, especially when the bag was excessivelyfilled, as is so often the case.

Attempts to overcome the disadvantages set forth above have been madefrom time to time by providing separate handles which could be attachedto the bag or to the handles of the bag for the purpose of relievingexcessive cutting and bruising of the hands. Such a handle is disclosedin my co-pending application entitled Combination Package and ShoppingBag Handle, Serial No. 248,970, filed September 29, 1951, now Patent No.2,684,797, issued July 27, 1954. Some of these auxiliary handlesincluded wooden cylinders and the like, but none of these improvementshave proved to be entirely successful primarily for the reason thatsince the handles were not permanently affixed to the bag, they oftenbecame separated therefrom or were lost or misplaced and hence were oflittle benefit to the users.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide ashopping bag which will overcome all of the disadvantages hereinaboveset forth.

Another object is to afford a shopping bag with an attached handle butwith a handle so attached that it does not interfere with the opening ofthe bag for the purpose of loading the same. An object relating theretois to so construct and attach the handle to the bag that one side of thebag may be entirely separated from the other side especially at the topopening thereof.

A further object is to provide an attached handle for a shopping bag somounted that the handle will assume the natural position which will mostevenly divide the weight of the bag contents between the handle members.

Yet another object is to afford a handle attached to at least one sideof a shopping bag and which may be readily associated to ordisassociated from the other side of the shopping bag.

Yet a further object is to provide a shopping bag with an attachedhandle in which the handle will not be too easily separated or torn awayfrom the bag.

Still another object is to afford a shopping bag handle attached to oneside of the shopping bag and having means for readily associating thehandle to the other side. Such means comprising cooperating hooks andloops so constructed that once they are attached they do not readilybecome separated one from the other, especially when the bag is merelyset down or deposited for a brief interval.

Still a further object is to provide a handle which will tend to retainthe handle members of the loaded shopping bag in close proximity to eachother, thereby relieving the strain to the carriers fingers or hands,which otherwise would be used for this purpose.

Yet another object is to afford a shopping bag with attached handlewhich will eliminate the disintegration of the handles especially thoseof the cord type heretofore occasioned by the corrosive effects ofperspiration thereon.

And a final object is to provide a shopping bag with attached handle ofsimple, inexpensive, lightweight construction yet durable and effective.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel featuresof construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details ofthe structure may be made without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I haveillustrated in the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments thereof,from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with thefollowing description, my invention, its mode of construction, assemblyand operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understoodand appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference areemployed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a shopping bag embodymg my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the handle constructionin perspective;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the handleconstruction taken on the plane of line 33 in Fig. 5 of the drawings andviewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is also a fragmentary sectional view of the other side of thehandle construction taken on the plane of the same line in Fig. 5 of thedrawings but viewed in the reverse direction as indicated at 4-4 in Fig.5;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the handle construction andtop portion of the bag taken on the plane of line 55 in Fig. 4 of thedrawings;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating in perspective anotherembodiment of a handle construction;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the new handleembodiment taken on the plane of line 77 in Fig. 9 and viewed in thedirection indicated;

Fig. 8 is a similar fragmentary sectional view of the other side of thetop portion of the bag and handle taken on the plane of the same linebut viewed in the opposite direction as indicated at 8-8 in Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the handle construction andtop portion of the bag embodiment illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 takenon the plane of line 9-9 in Fig. 8 of the drawings; and

Fig. 10 is a view in perspective of the upper portion of a bagillustrating yet another embodiment of the handle construction.

Referring now to Figs. 2 through 5 of the drawings, it will be notedthat the bag 14 is formed with the upper marginal edge folded over toafford a hem 18 within which may be positioned a pair of handle mountingmembers indicated generally by reference numbers 20 and 22. Thesemounting members may be constructed from a number of materials, but Iprefer to use metallic wire. Portions of these wires 24, 26, 28 and 30are disposed in a horizontal plane within the hem. The central portionof the wire 20, disposed between the horizontal segments 24 and 26, arebent to afford ver tical upstanding segments 32 and 34 integrallyconnected by a horizontal segment 36 spaced above the upper edge of thebag 14. The other mounting member 22 has its central portion bent toafford a pair of upstanding loops 38 and 40 and a central horizontallydisposed seg ment 42 positioned in the same plane as the segments 28 and30 and likewise retained within the hem 18.

The hand contacting member of the handle may comprise a cylinder 44constructed from some relatively hard material, such as Wood, plastic,metal and the like, having a pair of passages 46 and 48 formedlongitudinally therethrough. The passage 46 accommodates loosely thereinthe wire segment 36 thereby mounting the handle 44 on the supportingmember 26.

Threaded through the passage 48 is a length of wire 50 bent to afford ahorizontal segment 52 disposed within the passage 48 and verticallydisposed end segments 54 and 56 depending therefrom. The ends of thesevertical segments 54 and 56 are bent to afford hook members 58 and (if),each of which is adapted to accommodate therein one of the loops 53 and40. The hooks 58 and 60 are formed with a narrowed passageway such as 62whose width is less than the diameter of the wire forming the loops 38and 40. The wire of the hooks may also be of the spring type so thatwhen it is desired to connect the hook with the loop, the loop such as38 must be forced through the narrow passage 62 thereby spreading apartthe segments 58 and 60 an amount sufficient to admit the loop therein.However, the resilience of the wire tends to return the hook to itsnatural position, thereby insuring the retention of the loops 38 and 40Within the hooks or clamps 58 and 60 respectively.

It will be noted that the segments 24, 26, 28 and 30 in Figs. 3 and 4 ofthe drawings are illustrated as bent in zigzag formation. This has beendone for the purpose of more evenly distributing the Weight and also forthe purpose of minimizing the possibility of the wire being torn out ofthe hem 18. To further insure against the separation of the mountingmembers 20 and 22 from the hem 18 fastening means such as stitching 64may be applied at all the openings in the hem through which the varioussegments of the handle mounting members protrude.

Although the wire segments which are contained in the hem 1% are shownas bent in zigzag formation, it should readily be understood that thesemay be constructed in the more conventional straight form. It shouldalso be noted that although the wire mounting members 29 and 22 areshown as two separate members they could be integrally formed andthereby encircle the entire top marginal hem of the bag 14. Further itshould be noted that the hem 18 may be formed by securing the fold byany conventional means but I prefer to use means such as the stitching66 shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In operation, the loops 38 and 40 are separated from the hooks 58 and60, leaving the mouth of the bag 14 free and unobstructed. The bag isthen filled with the articles desired to be carried therein and theloops 38 and 40 are then forced into the hook members 58 and 60 asheretofore described. The operator then grasps the cylindrical member 44thereby raising the bag. In so doing the mounting members 20 and 22which are free to rotate within the passages 46 and 48 rotate to theposition determined by the distance between the two sides of the bag 14which in turn is determined by the degree to which the bag 14 is filled.Furthermore the positioning of the mounting members 20 and 22 isaffected by the Weight and the distribution of the weight of thecontents of the bag. Thus it can readily be understood that the weightof the contents or at least the force vectors of this weight will beevenly distributed within the hand of the carrier.

in Figs. 6 through 9 inclusive another embodiment of a handleconstruction is illustrated. Similar parts are designated by likenumerals with the added sufiix a.

In this embodiment the handle supporting members 2641 and 220 are loopedso as to provide a construction which will afford additional resilienceto the handle itself, thereby materially reducing the strain which wouldordinarily be encountered by the carrier transporting a filled bag ofthis character. Furthermore this construction reduces the tendency ofthese mounting members 20:: and 22a to be torn out of the hem 13a.Turning now to a more detailed consideration of the construction of thisembodiment. it will be noted that the segments 24a and 261:, instead ofbeing integrally formed at their inner ends with vertically positionedsegments, are extended in horizontal planes to afford horizontalsegments 70 and 72 respectively. The wires, after they have formedsegments 70 and 72, are then vertically bent to afford segments 32a and34a connected by horizontal segment 36a disposed within the handlepassageway 46a. The horizontal segments 70 and 72 are positioned withinthe hem 18a.

The opposite loop-providing member 22a is similarly formed with ahorizontally disposed straight wire segment '74 which is an extension ofsegment 30a. Thereafter the wire is bent to form loop 38a. The wireafter forming loop 38a is again horizontally positioned to form segment76, after which it is bent to afford loop 40a and finally againhorizontally to form segment 78. This segment 78 is integrally formedwith segment 28a. Again the openings in the hem through which thevarious mounting members protrude may be joined together by means ofstitching such as 64a.

In Fig. 10 still another embodiment of the handle construction isillustrated. Again similar parts are designated by like numerals butwith the added suffix b.

In this embodiment the handle mounting member may be constructed from amore pliable material such as plastic or leather thong as well as fromthe same metallic wire material as was used in the previously describedembodiments.

The shopping bag 14b has provided therein in spaced relationshipentirely encircling the hem portion 1812, a plurality of openings suchas 80. Threaded through these openings may be a unitary mounting memberor wire 82. This unitary mounting member provides the loops 33b and 4%,as well as the means by which the cylindrical handle 44b may be attachedto the bag. Thus it will be noted that a segment of the mounting member82 is threaded thru the passageway 46]; in the handle 44b.

A hook member or wire 5% is provided, similarly to the hook memberillustrated in the previous embodiments, affording a pair of hooks 58band 60b adapted to cooperate with the loops 38b and 49b in the samemanner as described in the first two embodiments.

From the drawings and the description presented above it will readily beperceived that I have provided useful improvements in shopping bags. Theimprovements include a handle permanently affixed to the shopping bag insuch a manner that it does not interfere in any way with the usual andordinary functions of the bag and specifically does not obstruct theopening through which the bag is ordinarily filled. My invention furtherinsures more even distribution of the weight of the contents of the bag;eliminates the strain resulting from the tendency of the handles of thefilled bag to separate one from the other, and an embodiment of theinvention increases the resilience of the handle mounting therebycushioning and materially reducing the strain encountered in carrying aloaded bag. The handle construction furthermore is such that once thehandle is placed in operational position, it does not readily detachitself even though the carrier may remove his hand from the handle.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly,and many of its advantages should be readily understood from theforegoing without further description, and it should also be manifestthat while preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed for illustrative purposes, the structural details arenevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a shopping bag of the character described, handle mounting devicesafiixed to opposite sides of said bag and a carrying handle affixed toat least one of said handle mounting devices and joining the sametogether, said mounting devices comprising a wire member having anintegrally-formed off-set segment upon which said carrying handle isrotatably mounted, a second wire member affixed to the other side of thebag, said latter-mentioned wire member having a pair of upstanding loopsformed therein and spaced below said handle, and a pair of cooperatinghooks rotatably mounted on and depending from said carrying handle andadapted to cooperate with said loops to join together the mountingdevices.

2. The shopping bag of claim 1 in which said mounting devices havesegments formed in a zig-zag pattern, and said segments being attachedto the top portions of the bag.

3. The shopping bag of claim 1 in which the wire forming each member ofsaid mounting device has a central portion formed in at least onecomplete loop, the carrying handle mounted on the top segment of one ofsaid loops and the first-mentioned upstanding loops formed in the wiremember comprising the other of said complete oops.

4. A shopping bag with attached handle comprising; a bag with a hemencircling the upper marginal edge thereof, a wire mounting memberaffixed within said hem on one side of the bag, said wire mountingmember having a central otf-set segment affording a horizontal segmentspaced above the top edge of the bag, a cylindrical wooden handle formedwith a pair of spaced apart passages there through, said horizontalsegment threaded through one of said passages, a spring wire memberrotatably threaded through the other passage, depending hooks formed atthe ends of said spring wire member, a second wire mounting memberaffixed within the hem on the other side of the bag, a pair ofupstanding loops formed in said second Wire mounting member, said loopspositioned for being hooked by said hooks.

5. A portable receptacle with attached handle comprising; a flexiblecontainer, a wire mounting member affixed to one side of the container,said wire mounting member having a central off-set portion affording ahorizontal segment spaced above the top edge of the container, acylindrical handle formed with a pair of spaced apart passagestherethrough, said horizontal segment threaded through one of saidpassages, a wire hook member having a horizontal segment rotatablythreaded through the other passage, depending hooks formed at the endsof said latter-mentioned horizontal segment, a second wire mountingmember afiixed to the other side of the container, a pair of upstandingloops formed in said second wire mounting member, said upstanding loopspositioned opposite said depending hooks for association therewith.

6. A portable shopping bag with attached handle comprising; a flexiblebag, a wire mounting member afiixed to one side of the bag, said wiremounting member having a central off-set portion afiording a horizontalsegment spaced above the top edge of the bag, a cylindrical handleformed with a pair of spaced apart passages therethrough, saidhorizontal segment threaded through one of said passages, a wire hookmember having a horizontal segment rotatably threaded through the otherof said passages, depending hooks formed at the ends of saidlatter-mentioned horizontal segment, a second wire mounting memberaffixed to the other side of the bag, a pair of upstanding loops formedin said second wire mounting member, said upstanding loops positionedopposite said depending hooks for association therewith.

7. A portable shopping bag with attached handle comprising; a flexiblebag, a wire mounting member affixed to one side of the bag, said wiremounting member having a central off-set portion affording a horizontalsegment spaced above the top edge of the bag, a cylindrical handleformed with a pair of spaced apart passages therethrough, saidhorizontal segment threaded through one of said passages, a wire hookmember having a horizontal segment rotatably threaded through the otherpassage, depending hooks formed at the ends of said latter-mentionedhorizontal segment, a pair of loops protruding from the other side ofsaid bag, said protruding loops positioned opposite said depending hooksfor association therewith.

8. A portable shopping bag with attached handle comprising; a flexiblebag, a wire mounting member afiixed to one side of the bag, said wiremounting member having a central off-set portion affording a horizontalsegment spaced above the top edge of the bag, a cylindrical handleformed with a pair of spaced apart passages therethrough, saidhorizontal segment threaded through one of said passages, a wire hookmember having a horizontal segment rotatably threaded through the otherpassage, depending hooks formed at the ends of said latter-mentionedhorizontal segment, a plurality of loops protruding from the other sideof said bag, said protruding loop positioned opposite said dependinghooks for association therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS594,562 Royer Nov. 30, 1897 833,101 Wighard Oct. 9, 1906 887,411 MillerMay 12, 1908 1,359,461 Luce Nov. 16, 1920 1,564,101 Nakamura Dec. 1,1925 2,041,691 Becklin May 26, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 111,470 GreatBritain Oct. 17, 1918 216,360 Great Britain May 29, 1924

